Agnes Carson Johnson was born in Greenfield, Ohio on September 15, 1825. She was raised in a religious family and longed to give her life to the Lord's work.

When Agnes was just sixteen, she married Robert Hopkins, who wanted to become a missionary to the Dakota. The spring of 1843, they traveled by steamboat from Ripley, Ohio to Fort Snelling. They served as missionaries at Laq qui Parle (1843 - 1844) and Traverse des Sioux (1844 - 1851).

Perhaps due to her young age, she quickly learned the Dakota language and became a teacher for young Dakota girls. Agnes bore five children during the next eight years. During a furlough in Ohio in 1849, two-year-old Nancy died and was buried in the Red Oak Presbyterian Church Cemetery.

Shortly before the Treaty at Traverse des Sioux was signed, Rev. Robert Hopkins drowned in the St. Peter's River on July 4, 1851. After Agnes witnessed the signing of the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux on July 23, 1851, she reluctantly returned to Ohio with four children to live with her widowed mother. Anne Kelly Hopkins – the youngest child at just seven weeks old – died shortly thereafter.

Meanwhile, Rev. Gideon Pond's wife Sarah died in 1853, leaving him with seven children. The Pond and the Hopkins families had served as missionaries together, so Gideon was aware of Agnes' similar situation. In September, Gideon traveled to Ohio and proposed to Agnes. She agreed to be his wife and a mother to his seven children.

In the spring of 1854, Gideon and Agnes were married in Ohio. Agnes, and her three living children returned to Minnesota Territory to live with Gideon and his seven children in the crowded log mission house overlooking the Minnesota River. The Oak Grove Presbyterian Church was founded in that log cabin in 1855.

Gideon and the children built the brick house in 1856. They had six more children together.

After Gideon died in 1878, their son Hermon Hine assumed responsibility for the farm and livestock. After Hine's wife Elizabeth died in 1897, Agnes raised their two children, Frank and Belle.

Agnes lived in the brick house until 1915. She was 90 years old. Her faith remained steadfast until the end.